Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Citi Custom Cash® Card Review
With the Citi Custom Cash® Card, you don’t have to sign up for rotating bonus categories to maximize the rewards you earn. Cardholders of the Citi Custom Cash® Card can earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter. That category automatically adjusts each billing cycle based on how you spend. Cash back rewards are earned in the form of ThankYou® Points.
Eligible categories include restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs and live entertainment.
All other purchases earn an unlimited 1% cash back. You can earn $200 in cash back after you spend $1500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
The card charges a $0 annual fee. It has an intro APR offer of 0% for 15 months on purchases as well as on balance transfers that are completed within four months of the account opening. After that, the APR is 19.24% to 29.24% (variable) based on your creditworthiness. (See Rates & Fees)
Citi Custom Cash® Card’s benefits include fraud monitoring, free FICO score access and $0 liability on unauthorized purchases. Cardholders can also add authorized users at no cost and earn points on the purchases they make.
- Issuer NameCiti
- Credit NeededExcellent, Good, Fair
- Annual Fee$0
- APR19.24% – 29.24% (Variable)
- Penalty APRUp to 29.99% (Variable)
- Purchases Intro APR0% for 15 months
- Balance Transfer FeeBalance transfer fee applies with this offer 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.
- Cash Advance Fee5% of each cash advance; $10 minimum
- Foreign Transaction Fee3%
- Want to earn cash back rewards without signing up for rotating bonus categories each billing cycle.
- Are looking for a rewards card with a $0 annual fee. (See Rates & Fees)
- Want to earn $200 in cash back after you spend $1500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
To get the most out of the 5% rewards rate, try to use the card in a category for which you’ll probably spend $500 in a given month. For example, if you expect to spend $500 on groceries, make the Citi Custom Cash® Card your go-to grocery card and then use another card with a higher-earning rate for other types of spending you do.
You can easily shift your strategy if your spending changes. For example, maybe you decide to use the Citi Custom Cash® Card to make a large purchase at a home improvement store. That could serve as your 5% category of the month, and you can use another card to earn other benefits.
Editor’s Take
Many rewards cards offering bonus categories require some work on the cardholder’s part to maximize spending, and some even require you to activate your bonus categories. The Citi Custom Cash® Card is the answer for those who want to take a more hands-off approach to earning. Because your highest category of spending will automatically be rewarded, it’s on autopilot. However, if you tend to spend larger amounts in multiple categories each month, you might be better suited with a tiered card that offers unlimited 3% or 2% bonus rewards in a few categories rather than the capped 5% offer in one category.
Dawn PapandreaContributor
Earn $200 in cash back after you spend $1500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
You can earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter. All other purchases earn an unlimited 1% cash back.
Cardholders don’t have to sign up for a rotating bonus category each billing cycle. How much you earn is adjusted automatically when you spend in any of the eligible categories: restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs and live entertainment.
Cash back rewards are earned in the form of ThankYou® Points. Each billing cycle, you can earn five ThankYou® Points per dollar on up to $500 spent in your top eligible spending category that cycle. Cardholders earn one point per dollar on all other purchases. ThankYou® Points never expire as long as the account is open.
U.S. News rates credit cards by analyzing factors including fees, interest rates and benefits, each weighed against their importance to determine an overall score for each credit card. Consumers can rely on these ratings to provide objective, accurate assessments of credit card choices.
Best in Cash Back Credit Cards
